A Brief Confutation of a Popish Discourse, Part
BEfore the nyne reasons, is premised an answere to (a Letter (as is pretended) of a gentleman in England, touching the late imprisōmēt of Catholiks there: the cōtents wherof are these. First a great sorrow cōceiued in this answerer, for that pitifull descriptiō of Englād cōteined in the gentlemans letter, wherin was writtē, that so many great Gentlemen of worship were prisoned, for their consciences & religion of late. What great imprisonment I pray you hath béene of late, of so great Gentlemen, as hath not béene and continued many yeares before, except some intermission granted, to assay to winne by clemency, y• which was not atteined by punishment. But it is not hard to gesse, what marke you shoote at, that would hauehave conscience and religion, to bee the only cloake to couer whatsoeuer by secrete conspiracie against the state, hath beene of late attempted, by some of the Popish faction, whom you call Catholikes. Your treasonable practises, hauing not that successe you promised to your selues, and to your friendes in England and Irelande, you woulde nowe mooue connseration by persecution, for conscience, in them that deserue iustly to be suspected for conspiracie, yea and them also that are ma…ifestly detected of trecherie. And howe I pray you is the state of England made miserable, that it deserueth your foolish of pitie, by imprisonmēt of these Gentlemen? You answere, So many good houses broken vp, so many young Gentlemen and seruantes vnprouided, so many poore people destitute, as though al housekéeping, maintenance of young Gentlemen and seruants, & prouision of the poore people, depended vponupon a fewe obstinate Recusants, who if they were all with God, yet none of these commodities should be wanting in y• realme. And while they remaine in the worlde, who forbiddeth them, although they be imprisoned, to kéepe good houses, mainteine seruants, relieue ye poore? It is wel knowne, how great a gaine they make of their imprisonment, & how glad some of them are, whē they may hauehave the colour of restraint, but euen in their own houses, that they may pretende imprisonment, for not keeping of good houses, mainteining of seruants, & relieuing of the poore. But let vsus heare more of this lamē table description. So many wiues disioyned from their husbands. But how many is there, or what one is there? or euer hath there béen in her maiesties raign, that being imprisoned for the only cause of religion, might not be suffred to hauehave his wife resort vntounto him, yea, & to remain with him if it were both their pleasures so to liue, and the wife to beare parte of her husbandes trouble. If not one can bée named, that can bée prooued (for Howlettes slaunder of Maister Dimmockes wyfe, hath béene openly confuted) there is no colour in the nexte complainte, Of so many children berefte of their parentes, whose Parentes are liuing, and at libertie to prouide for them, in all honest and duetifull manner. As for the flying, running, dispersing, shutting vp &c. It is so great as hardly can bée séene in any place worth the noting, and least able to make a pitifull description of the floorishing estate of Englande, which God of his mercy long continue, that enuy of all her aduersaries, may breake her bowels, with griefe to beholde it. But who can abide that slaunderous complaint of such pitifull abiding hunger, thirst, and colde in prison described by the supposed Gentleman? repeated by this reason maker to bee a miserie not accustomed to fall in our fathers dayes vponupon that noble Realme, and all for different opinions in religion. You hauehave beene a great and long straunger from this noble realme, that hauehave not knowne in your own daies if you bee of any yeeres méete to make argumentes for all Catholikes, or in your Fathers dayes of what yeeres soeuer you be, that you hauehave not hearde of greater miserie, then hunger, thirste, and colde, in prison susteined, accustomed to be laid vponupon Englishmen professours of the trueth, by Papists mainteiners of heresie, and all for difference of opinions in religion. But I woulde I might reason a little with y• gentleman describer (because you the reporter, hauehave deuised to colour a most destable s…under, by haere say, and another mans description) I pray you Sir, in what prison, & what gentlemen are they, that abide such pitiful hunger, thirste, & cold? how many hauehave pined for hunger, fainted for thirst, & starued for cold? Are not al these great gentlemē which you say are imprisoned for their consciences, at libertie to féed & cherish themselues with their owne goods. Or if you wil imp…dently expounde your saying, of any poore Papists, that are imprisoned for religion, of whom you speake not any worde, are not their friends suffered to minister vntounto them al things necessarie? what one person can bée named that abideth such pitiful hunger, thirst, & cold? Are you not ashamed, without al colour to …aunder so noble a state, & the godly Magistrates of the same, with such barbarus crueltie? But to say mine opinion, I think verily, that no gentleman in England, hath so vngentlemanlike conception, wtout al shew of truth, to auouch so lowd a lie. But rather y• this reason maker, faineth such a letter of description, whereof he himself is the authour, imagining by example of his owne faction, that the like tyrannie is practised in the Church of God, as is vsual to the crueltie of the Papists. The causes of his sorowing being thus set foorth, he cōmeth to comfort himselfe, by consideration of so many Gentlemen, so precise in matmatters of religion, and so respectiue of their consciences, in these wicke… & loose …es, where there is no feeling or sense of …ertue left, but al men in wrapped in the louelove of gods professed enemie the world, folowing with al▪ force & ful sa…le, the vanities & ambition of the same. Indéed sir, you hauehave followed your shameles slaunder, with full saile, & hauehave had winde at wil. What say you▪ is there no sense or féeling of vertue left, but al m…n inwrapped in the louelove of gods en…ie, except those few gentlemē, …he matter of your rare comfort? In your famili…r letters we must suppose you write as you thinke, and as to your …éere & worshipfull friende, wherfore whatsoeuer you do in cōmon writings, professe of your reuerēt opiniō of her maiesties singuler vertues, & other of high estate that are vnderunder her, executers of her Christiā lawes, al is but dissimulatiō & hypocrisie, fained glosing, & … flatterie. For you acknowledge not only no vertue, but not so much as any féeling or sense ofvertue, to be left in any other, then those gentlemē recusants, al other men not allured, nor intā gled, but inwrapped, in the louelove euen of gods professed enimie the worlde, not seduced and drawen thereby, but folowing, and that not slowly, but with al force and full saile, the vanities and ambition of the same. If this were true, it would make a more miserable estate of England, then you before imagined, by imprisonment of a few good houss kéepers. And I woulde hartily wish, that you …alfly say of all, might not be verified of some, But that there is no sense or féeling of vertue, but al men inwrapped in the louelove of gods professed enimie, & that in so extréeme a degrée: except a smal number of obstinate & wilfully blinded Papists▪ that is more then euer could …e …tly saide, almost of any Heathen or Turkish state, in which the sense & féeling of vertue was neuer so wholy extinguished, but some remained euen in them that knewe not God, nor serued him aright. The king of Sodoma shewed some sense & féelingGen. 14. of gratitude & equitie, when he was content to yéeld to Abraham his deliuerer, the whole pray and spoyle of the aduersaries, so that hée might recouer his captiu…d people. But let that passe, and consider the grounde of this comfort. So many gen…lemen en both for their yeeres, lyuings, and habilities, as … to be as vaine as the rest (as though all other Gentlemen were vaine, but they) so precise▪ in matters of religion, and respectiue of their consciences &c. To omit that which is …e in secrete, the manifest couetousnes, …ppression, and wrong dealing, in some of their liues appearing, declareth small precisenes to be in their religion, or respect of their conscience in their refusal. But admit that none of them might he touched in conuersatiō, as that were not sufficient to iustifie their religion, so it shoulde be small matter of comfort vntounto a christian man, to sée so many Gentlemen refusing to yéelde to the trueth, and so few poore men (to whom the Gospel properly perteineth)Mat. 11. …. that dare withstand the Lawes that are now made of religion. Whereas the true religion hath but fewe noble, in comparison of the multitude of the poore that receiue and imbrace the Gospell: It is therefore but a smal likelihood, that Papistrie shoulde be the true religion, which few or none, but Gentlemen dare professe in Englād. Which argueth y• y• greatest number of thē, being able by welth to beare out the greatest punishment that is laide vponupon them, suffer of wilfulnesse, rather then of conscience: who if they were put to the same tryal, y• the poore martyres were in time of popish persecution, it is hard to say, how many of these gentlemen that abide imprisonment, woulde indure to ende their liues (as those did) in firy …ormēts. Experience we hauehave in the daies of king Henry, & king Edward, whē sharper punishmēt then now is practised, was executed vponupon offendours in some cases, how few there were & those y• were discouered by others, rather thē by their own open professiō, that indured the seueritie of those lawes. Yet were those times more likely to hauehave yéelded thousands of martyrs, & confessours, when men were newly drawne from their old inueterated opinions▪ if certeiutie of truth had béen in papistrie, which might hauehave b…d a constant faith to hauehave suffered death willingly & faithfully, for the defence & testimonie of gods religion, against heresie: which error builded vponupon vncertaine or false grounds, albeit it may worke wilful per… in a fewe, yet neuer is able to giuegive pa…ience & constancie in the …ttermost a …tions vntounto ma nie. The same thing the experience of these times doth cōfirme, in which only they suffer by their wils, to whom the suffering is no great smart. But ye mener sort, although in hart they fauour popery, yet because they hauehave no faith, but an vncertaine opinion, they dare make no confession, to bring them selues in greater trouble, then they are able without greate paine too suffer And … those of weal…h, that care not to be imprisoned, rather then to … to Church: how many of them dare make confession of that, which is the profession of all Pap…sts, that he acknowledgeth the supreme authoritie of the Pope, & is by Bul, or other token of pardon reconciled to the Sea of Rome. And wherefore are they so dangerous in this matter rather then the ōther▪ but because y• law … shar… in y• point, for acknowleging y• popes authoritie thē for going to church. Whereas if they suffered of conscience grounded vpō a Christiā faith, they would neuer be ashamed to confes him, whō they think▪ in their erronious perswasiō, to be the rock of the Church, y• head & singuler shepheard of the same, without acknow legeing of whose autority they hold, y• there is no church, no truth, no saluation. I omit that there is apparant & probable suspitions in some of the imprisoned, of hope of greater preferment, & worldly aduauntement in another state, then they looke to obteine in this, whereto doth tend al their diuelish & traiterous machinations, against the Prince & present state, by Gods goodnes hitherto preuented, and I hope (if our sinnes which deserue the contrary doe not …) shalbe finally and perpetually disapointed. But this their obst… is such a thing (saith this discourser) as it must needes bryng comfort to all men. So that in his iudgement, they are no mē, to whom the wilful contempt of Papists bringeth no cōfort. what more▪ It can iustly greeue none except the cōmon enimy the dyuel hymselfe▪ Sée … not, what … he maketh of her Maiestie, & at her … ▪ … of the Nobilitie & Comminaltie? all whom it cannot but gr… excéedingly, y• any of her born subiects, & there naturall countriemen▪ should so obstinately refuse the hearing of Gods word, & cōmunication with his Churche, without ye which there is no hope of saluation, that they had rather bee imprisoned, … displeasure of God & them natural Prince, then be at large with … Christ; & … li… of their soueraigne. Yet further … how not only in general, but also in particuler, he presu meth to …rine of her Maiestie. And as for the Princes herselfe (saith he) she cannot▪ but becomforted therein. Behold how confidently hée …dereth her … Mais…ie▪ in bearing men in hand, not only that she is … by …he … of her subiects, but also that, it … but that …hée should be comforted by that, which euen cōmon sense abhorreth, that the ruler shoulde be comforted by disobedience, and a Christian ruler by disobedience vntounto Christes faith wherof she is a …olous defendor, What other thing therfore is ment by this supposed impossibilitie▪ but to …nuat in most s…anderous & infamous suggestion, y• her Maiestie fauoureth the contempt of her lawes, liketh well of disobedient subiectes, yea is greatly conforted at the obstinacie of th…m, whom, by publike lawes, and open profession, she hath declared, these 22. yéeres, to be enimies of Gods truth, maintayners of superstition, and defend…rs of heresie. But let vsus yet more néerely beholde the cause, which maketh it impossible, but that shée must néedes be conforted therein, She cannot but be conforted threin (saieth hée) assuring her selfe, that if these men, doe sticke so firmely vntounto their consciences and faith sworne vntounto God, in their oth of baptisme. Then will they as firmly for the same consciences, stick vntounto her maiestie, if occasion shall serue, in keeping their secundary fayth, and alleageance, sworn vntounto her heighnes, as to the substitute of god. No doubt, but her maiesty must take great comfort, y• she setteth forth and executeth lawes, to defende such a faith & religion as men cannot obay, but by breaking their faith, sworne vntounto God in their oath of baptisme. Or els her highnesse must thinke great dis…oyaltie (what speake I of disloyaltie?) yea open and manifest contumely, in such an impudent marchant, as dare be bold to assure her subiects, y• commaunding them to ioyne with her in true religion, shée commaundeth them to breake their firste fayth sworn to God in baptisme, and yet notwithstanding cannot but be cōforted at their obstinate contempt, to her most iust and godly commaundement. But let the matter of the first fayth remaine in question. What assurance can her maiestie hauehave of the kéeping of their second fayth, and alleadgeance sworn to her heighnes, as to ye substitut of god? How many of those recusants presended for cōscience and kéeping of their first faith sworn to go…, ioined with the trayterous Earl…s of Northumberland and Westmerland, in open and actual rebellion against her maiesties person, her crowne a…d dignitie: Behold the bond of assurance, that her heighnes hath by their obstinate refusing, to yéeld vntounto her gracious and godly procéedings. These be the linkes of loyalty, wherby papists are so chained in obedience vntounto their god, yt they cānot be traytors against their prince. This is the recognisance of their dutie, y• they wil stick vntounto her maiestie, if occasiō should serue, y• so soone as any occasion is offred, to shew thēselues in their right collors, stick not to make open war against her maiestie, euen in her owne realme, and their natiue countrey. I hart…ly beseech almightie God, if it bée his will, for Christes sake, to illuminate their blind eyes, that their heartes being truely conuerted vntounto God, they may bée méete instrumentes to serue the Prince. Which grace if it be not his maiesties pleasure to graunt vntounto them, sor causes knowne to his diuine wisdome, I beséech him for his merciemercy, that her highnesse neuer hauehave néede or vse of their ayde, who are her secréete sworn …imies, howsoeuer they pretend an outward countenance of duetie and faythful…esse: But to returne to this our discourser, if Papistes could bée ashamed of any thing, my thinke he should not for sh…me, promise her maiestie assurance of their fidellitie, who hauea receiued principle, y• to infidels, and such as they accounte herhighnesse to be, no fayth or promise of obedience, it is to bée obserued. And what talketh hée of a secundarie fayth, sworne vntounto her highnesse? as though either shée or any almost in Englande, were ignorant of the blasphemous bulles of Pius quintus and Gregorius 13. giuen forth against her maiestie, procured by the traitours on that side the sea, by which al her subiects are assured to bée discharged of all oth of obedie…ce, and loyaltie vntounto their souereigne, and the Prince her selfe (with more vile tearmes, then I in respecte of her honour, and my duetie may expresse, as méete for the basph…mous mouth of Antichrist, as vnworthy of her most … and noble personage) discharged of y• most lawful souer eigntie, which by the ordinance of G…d & her most iust title, by all law, righ & equitie, doth appertaine vntounto her. Will they stick to her Maiestie in conscience of anyoth, whose consciences the Pope hath loosed from al dutie of alleadgeance? HaueHave not all the Papistes …ne sense of this matter? or els where is the vnitie they brag of? d…th not Bristo in his 40. motiue affyrme, that al the Papistes in England be duelie discharged from subiectiō, and the Prince frō dominion, by the souereigne autoritie of the common pastor of relygion? Saith he not in the same motiue, that although they be discharged of their fealtie, yet they obey for common humanitie? He might much more truly hauehave said, that being in their traiterous perswasion discharged of their fealty, wherinsoeuer they obey, it is for feare of penaltie. How can they that thinke themselues discharged of their fealty, kéepe their secōd faith and aleadgeaunce, …worne to her highnesse, as to the substitute of God, whome they wickedly imagine to bée discharged from dominion, by the souereigne authoritie of Gods vicar, in their tearme, but the dauilles dearling in very déede. But if the rebellion in the North, the Bulles of their two last Popes, Feltons execution, Brisues motiues, and a great many other motiues, inducing her maiestie to conceiue of them, as of most daungerous persons, to the state were all cleane forgotten, or els had neuer gone before, are the attempts of Saunder in Ireland, so obscure, or y• Pope… standerd throwne downe so lowe, or his garyson of soldiours so wholy discomfited, or his forte so througly rased and made euen with the ground, or Campions proude and foolish chaleng, and the flocking of so many I…suits and Seminaristes, as so many trompets and bellowes of sedition into England, concurring with the hostile inuasion of Ireland, so cléerely abolyshed, that no monumentes of popish sidelitie and alleadgeance to their souereigne, remaine to bée gathered or considered of them? but that this new discourser, dare assure her Maiestie, that the disobedience of Papistes, is an argument of their loyaltie, their obstinacie, a proofe of their fidelitie, their cont…mpte of God and his trueth, a conclusion of their alleageaunce and sworne seruice to their Prince?
Yet is hée so confident in defending their wilfulnesse, that hée a…ouceth, that their aduersaries also and persecutors, cannot in any reason mislike it, for that the contrary relygion, were to hauehave them as constant and faythfull in that, if it were possible to winne them to the same. In déede constancie, if the cause bée good wherein it is, deserueth great commendation, but obstinacie in an euil cause, as it hath nothing y• in reasō can moue wise men to like it, so hath it not a necessarie consequence, that the obstinate being once reclaymed to good religion, will al waies continue constant in the same. For beside experiēce in some of the recusantes, who hauehave reuoulted from the truth, once professed, that constancie, wherby true religiō is faithfully maintained, is the gift of God, and diffreth as much from obstinacie, whereby an euill matter is borne out, as trueth differeth from falshood, and good relygion, from heresie.
The last part of y• answer to this pretēded letter, is spent, in promising to proue their obstin…cie to be constancie, and their wi…lnes to be conscience, and in … his friendes desire, briefly to touche three thinges. The firste poynte shall bee, what cause … reason the Catholikes hauehave (sayeth hee) to stande as they do…, in the refusall of thinges offered them, and especially of going to church. The other two poyntes, which are altogether omitted. I will rehearse in the ende, with a briefe coniecture of the cause why the same were giuen ouer. And now to the first parte, and in déede The onelyonly matter, and whole discourse of this treatise.